Lagerstroemia plant named ‘Peppermint Mocha’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct Crape Myrtle plant named  Lagerstroemia  ‘Peppermint Mocha’ has a dense, broadly-spreading, mounded habit, that is ground hardy to at least USDA zone 6, has glossy, dark-green foliage that have a medium wine-colored blush when young. The rosy-pink flowers on dense reddish stems cover the shrub. The new plant resists leaf spot and powdery mildew and is useful in the landscape as a specimen, en masse, or as a container plant.

Botanical classification: Lagerstroemia (L.) hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Peppermint Mocha’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(B)(6)

The first public disclosure of the claimed plant, in the form of aphotograph and brief description on a website operated by WaltersGardens, Inc. was on Feb. 1, 2019. Subsequently, on May 29, 2019 WaltersGardens, Inc. advertised the new plant in the “Walters Gardens 19-20Catalog” followed by the first sale on Jun. 17, 2019. Walters Gardens,Inc. obtained the plant and all information relating thereto, from theinventor. No plants of Lagerstroemia ‘Peppermint Mocha’ have been soldin this country or anywhere in the world, nor has any disclosure of thenew plant been made, more than one year prior to the filing date of thisapplication, and such sale or disclosure within one year was eitherderived directly or indirectly from the inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofLagerstroemia plant, commonly known as Crape Myrtle, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Peppermint Mocha’ or the “new plant.”‘Peppermint Mocha’ is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape useand for use as a potted plant, and is the result of an ongoing breedingprogram to produce new and improved garden worthy plants for theornamental plant market. The new plant was the result of open-pollinatedseed collected by the inventor in fall of 2012 in a trial gardenfacility at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA usingthe proprietary, unreleased, unnamed hybrid known only by the breedercode H10-08-01 (not patented) as the seed or female parent. The male orpollen parent is a sibling of H10-08-01 (not patented). The new plantwas given the breeder code 12-29-3.

Lagerstroemia ‘Peppermint Mocha’ was initially asexually propagated bystem cuttings at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA in2014. The resultant plants from successive generations have demonstratedthat the new plant has remained stable and true to type in multiple andsuccessive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Peppermint Mocha’ have not been observedunder all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and available moistureand fertility without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘Peppermint Mocha’. Among thecharacteristics in combination which distinguish ‘Peppermint Mocha’ as anew and distinct cultivar, unique from all other cultivars known to theinventor are:

-   -   1. Dense, broadly-spreading, mounded growth habit;    -   2. Glossy foliage emerges dark green with a medium wine-colored        blush and matures to dark-green;    -   3. Lower stems are striated, reddish-brown and tan-colored with        upper stems reddish;    -   4. Rosy-pink flowers in dense panicles open on new growth to        cover the shrub;    -   5. Resistance to Cercospora leaf spot and Erisphe powdery        mildew;    -   6. Ground hardy to at least USDA hardiness zone 6.

The most similar cultivars known to the inventor include: ‘Chaff Berry’U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,860, ‘Dark Roast’ U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,861 and the copending U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/873,024 ‘Perky Pink’. ‘Dark Roast’is slightly shorter in habit, the leaves are deeper reddish purple andthe flowers are a different hue of bright fuchsia pink. ‘Chaff Berry’ isslightly taller and more upright in habit and the flowers are adifferent hue of rose-pink. ‘Perky Pink’ has a taller slightly moreupright habit and the flowers are a more true pink. The female parentH10-08-01 has flowers that are a more lavender coloration. Comparisonwith the male parent is not possible since the male parent was notmaintained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliagecharacteristics and the overall appearance of a seven-year-old plant of‘Peppermint Mocha’, growing in a full-sun trial garden in Zeeland,Mich., showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtainin color reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs maydiffer slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the colors of the newLagerstroemia.

FIG. 1 shows a plant in a full-sun trial garden in late summer peakflowering.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up for the flowers and buds.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following color references are based on the 2015 edition of TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where common dictionaryterms are used. The following observations and size descriptions are ofapproximately seven-year-old plants grown in a loamy-sand, full-sun,open trial bed in Zeeland, Mich., USA with supplemental water andfertilizer as needed. The phenotype may vary slightly with differentenvironmental conditions, such as temperature, light, fertility,moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype.

-   Botanical classification: Lagerstroemia (L.) hybrid;-   Parentage: Female, or seed parent the unnamed, unreleased hybrid    H10-08-01; the male, or pollen parent is a sibling of H10-08-01;-   Propagation: Terminal softwood stem cuttings;-   Time to initiate roots: about three weeks;-   Growth rate: Moderate; finishing from a 65 mm liner in a 3.7 liter    container in about 10 to 14 weeks in the summer season;-   Plant description: Deciduous, woody, narrow, compact flowering    shrub; about six mainly upright to outward primary stems; freely    branched;-   Root description: Fine, numerous, fibrous, well-branched;-   Plant habit: Broadly-spreading, compact, rounded mound; about 68.0    cm high from the soil level to the top of the inflorescences; about    84.0 cm wide with no pinching, pruning or plant growth regulators;-   Stems: About nine; to about 56.0 cm long and about 18.0 mm diameter    at base; young stems cylindrical with four longitudinal carinae,    along line on either side of petioles; basal stems cylindrical with    slightly exfoliating bark; highly branched with about 10 alternate    branches held at about a 45 degree angle above horizontal; branches    to about 26.0 cm long and 4.0 mm diameter at base;-   Stem color: Woody basal portion variable with over wintered stems    between RHS 177B and RHS 200A, basal new season stems striated with    nearest RHS 176A and RHS 164D; young developing stems striated with    nearest RHS 181C and nearest RHS 185A;-   Node: About 30 to 40 per main stem; internode length average about    1.5 cm in main stems;-   Node color: Same as surrounding stem;-   Foliage description: Sub-opposite to alternate; simple; orbicular;    margin entire to micro-ciliolate; flat; apex rounded; aequilateral,    rounded base; adaxial and abaxial glabrous and lustrous; to about    53.0 mm long and 40.0 mm wide, average about 48.0 mm long and 34.0    mm wide;-   Abaxial leaf color: Young emerging adaxial nearest RHS 144A with    slight distal blush of nearest RHS 187A, abaxial nearest RHS 146D    with moderate blush of nearest RHS 187A; mature adaxial between RHS    137A and RHS NN137A without blush, abaxial between RHS 138A and RHS    146B without blush;-   Veins: Pinnate; micro-puberulent adaxial and abaxial;-   Vein color: Young emerging adaxial midrib base between RHS 146D and    RHS 145A, secondary veins between RHS 144A and RHS 187A, abaxial    midrib between RHS 146C and RHS 145B, secondary veins between RHS    144A and RHS 187A; mature adaxial midrib nearest RHS 146D, secondary    veins nearest RHS 146B, abaxial midrib nearest RHS 158B and    secondary veins nearest RHS 160C;-   Petiole: Sessile to very short; glabrous; up to 1.0 mm long and 2.0    mm wide; color adaxial nearest RHS 146B and abaxial nearest RHS 146D    with blush of nearest RHS 183D;-   Inflorescence: Panicle; terminal branched panicles up to about 200    flowers; average about 175 flowers; up to about 17.0 cm long and    about 15.0 cm across; beginning late-summer and continuing for up to    four weeks;-   Buds: Globose to ellipsoidal; very slightly carinate; with rounded    apex and rounded base; lustrous; glabrous; about 12.0 mm long and    about 7.0 mm diameter one day prior to opening; longitudinal suture    lines of weak prominence;-   Bud color: Exposed petals blend between RHS 60C and RHS 64B; calyx    base nearest RHS, distally nearest RHS 187B;-   Flowers: Perfect; regular; actinomorphic; stalked; held in terminal    panicle; individually about 33.0 mm across and about 17.0 mm long to    tip of exserted anthers; corolla to about 16.0 mm long; lasting    about two days;-   Flower fragrance: Faintly sweet;-   Peduncle: Cylindrical with four longitudinal carinae in proximal    portion and cylindrical in distal portion; about 5.0 mm diameter at    base below lowest flowering branch, to about 17.0 cm long and 15.0    cm across;-   Peduncle color: Nearest RHS 183C;-   Pedicel: Cylindrical; glabrous; lustrous; about 4.0 mm long and 1.0    mm diameter;-   Pedicel color: Variable, nearest RHS 183D to RHS N186C;-   Calyx: Fused to form hypanthium; campanulate; 9.0 mm long and 10.0    mm across;-   Sepals: Fused in about the basal 6.0 mm; acute apex, entire margin;    glabrous and lustrous both adaxial and abaxial; about 9.0 mm long    and individually and about 4.0 mm wide at fusion point;-   Sepal color: Adaxial basal portion nearest RHS NN155B, distal    portion nearest RHS 182D; abaxial nearest RHS 183D;-   Petals: Six; stalked; glabrous; blade ruffled or crisped; margin    crisped; blade with rounded apex and auriculate base, to about 11.0    mm across and 10.0 mm long; claw base or stalk adnate to calyx, to    about 6.0 mm long and 0.7 mm diameter; overall about 16.0 mm long;-   Petal color: Blade adaxial and abaxial nearest RHS 64C; claw between    RHS 51B and RHS 51C;-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamens.—Typically about 40; six longer and about 34            shorter.        -   Filaments.—Cylindrical; shorter stamens to about 8.5 mm long            and about 0.2 mm diameter, curved to twisted; longer            filaments arcuate in distal 5 mm, about 16.0 mm long and            about 0.5 mm diameter; color of shorter filaments nearest            RHS NN155D proximally and nearest RHS NN155C distally; color            of longer filaments between RHS 51B and RHS 51C.        -   Anthers.—Dorsifixed; ellipsoid; more developed on longer            stamens to about 1.5 mm long and 1.2 mm across, on shorter            stamens about 1.0 mm long and about 0.7 mm across color            nearest RHS 8A.        -   Pollen.—Abundant on longer stamens; color nearest RHS 14A.-   Gynoecium: One; about 17.0 mm long;    -   -   Style.—Cylindrical; glabrous; about 14.5 mm long and 0.5 mm            diameter; color nearest RHS 53B.        -   Stigma.—Globose; lustrous; about 0.5 mm diameter; color            between RHS 177A and RHS 177B.        -   Ovary.—Superior; globose; lustrous; about 2.0 mm tall and            1.5 mm diameter; color between RHS 153D and RHS 154D.        -   Fruit.—Globose; dehiscent, loculicidal, penta-valved            capsule; about 7.0 mm across and 8.0 mm tall; immature color            nearest RHS 145C, mature color nearest RHS 165A.-   Seed: Typically 12 to 20 seeds per fruit; winged; to about 6.0 mm    long and 3.5 mm across and 1.5 mm thick at embryo; color variable,    nearest RHS 199B at embryo and RHS 199D in wing;-   Disease resistance: Lagerstroemia ‘Peppermint Mocha’ has shown    resistance to powdery mildew and black leaf spot, Erisphe and    Cercospora fungi, respectively. Other resistance beyond that typical    for crape myrtle has not been observed. The new plant's root system    is capable of withstanding cold temperatures typical of those found    in USDA zone 6.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Crape Myrtle,Lagerstroemia plant named ‘Peppermint Mocha’ essentially as hereinillustrated and described.